Join us in celebrating the Sturgeon Spectacular, the beauty of winter, and more importantly SNOW!  Sunburst Ski Hill believes that the best memories are made with snow, and we agree!  Get your family, friends, or go outside solo and find your best winter backdrop.

Contest Rules:

All ages are eligible to participate.  Submit a photo to Facebook using #SunburstBestMemories or send an email to info@fdlfest.com with subject line “Sunburst Best Memories” before midnight on Monday, February 10th and you’ll be entered to win four Sunburst ski or tubing passes and some really cool Sturgeon Spectacular gear.  Judges will select the winner from all entrants on Thursday, February 13th and the winner will be posted on the Fond du Lac Festivals and Destination Lake Winnebago Facebook pages.

To qualify, photos must include snow and capture “The Best Memories”.

PRESENTED BY:

Explore Downtown Fond du Lac in 2025 through the Downtown Sturgeon Scavenger Hunt! Join the Hunt for your chance to win a $250 Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership Gift Certificate to spend at businesses in Downtown Fond du Lac or a pair of Oakley Sunglasses from Bird’s Eye Optical (prizes determined by the order the winners are drawn.)

To join, you can pick up a entry at Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts or any one of the participating locations. Participating locations will be marked by an official Sturgeon Scavenger Hunt Sign with instructions. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RETURNED TO THELMA AT THE INFO TABLE BY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9TH AT 3PM.

Rules:

Pick up an entry at THELMA or any one of the participating locations and navigate to each of the businesses listed to find the sturgeon and the corresponding letter hidden in their front windows. Match this letter with the number next to the business on the entry and write in the letter to decode a secret message. Once the secret message is decoded, you can turn in your entry at THELMA for your chance to win the prizes above!

Participating Locations:

• Fond du Lac Cyclery – 209 S Main St
• Jack’s Team Sports – 179 S Main St
• The Goldsmith – 177 S Main St
• Argentum et Aurum – 111 S Main St
• Craft City Bottleshop & Tap Room – 103 S Main St
• Gallery & Frame Shop – 94 S Main St
• Blue Line Tavern – 90 S Main St
• Lunar & Lake – 74 N Main St
• Knight & Barry – 69 S Main St
• Destination Lake Winnebago Region – 23 S Main St
• Bird’s Eye Optical – 19 S Main St
• Edith’s Bridal – 9 S Main St
• 18 Hands Ale Haus – 18 E Division St
• Wonder Play Café – 15 N Main St
• Cujak’s – 41 N Main St
• PS Beauty Lounge – 61 N Main St
• CC’s Chocolate Café – 57 N Main St
• Beauty Republic – 131 S Main St
• Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership – 131 S Main St
• Lillian’s – 27 S Main St

Prize Sponsors:

Join us at Thelma Sadoff center for the Arts to kickoff to Sturgeon Spectacular 2025, featuring complimentary games, prizes, and a magic show! Kids will love the annual opportunity to spear Jerry the Sturgeon and parents will love the complimentary adult beverages. The Kids Kickoff will be taking place inside THELMA in the first floor Fountain City from 4:30 pm to 6 pm.

Presented by:

Come and join us for a scenic run throughout Downtown  Fond du Lac.  The course will circle through and tour Fond du Lac.  Registration will be open until the day of the run/walk.  Race day registration will begin at 9am on Saturday, February 8th Downtown at Thelma Sadolff Center for the Arts. The 1/2 mile Kids Fun Run for ages 12 and under is absolutely free and includes a shirt.  Early registration for the 5K Run/Walk will be available through midnight, Tuesday, January 21st.  You can still get a 2025 commemorative, long-sleeved T-shirt and registration for $25.  After Tuesday, January 21st, the price will be $20 and it will NOT include a Sturgeon Spectacular long-sleeve T-shirt.

Participants with strollers and/or dogs are asked to please line up in the back at the start.  Please stick around for other awesome Sturgeon Spectacular festivities within Downtown Fond du Lac.

On-site check-in:  9 am
1/2-Mile Kids Fun Run for ages 12 and under:  10 am
5K Run/Walk:  10:30 am

Presented by:

Special thanks to the Fond du Lac Running Club for their involvement.

Join us for the 7th Annual  Fond du Lac Outdoor Floor Curling Funspiel. This tournament is fun AND competitive.  Each match will last about 45 minutes. All curling equipment will be provided. The tournament is scheduled for Saturday, February 8th. Open to all ages and levels. Get your team of 3 – 6 people (at least 3 are required to compete in each match) together and sign up.  Top 2 teams will receive cash payouts ($250 for 1st / $100 for 2nd).  $40 entry fee per team.  Teams are guaranteed at least 2 matches in this double elimination tournament.  Registration will be capped at `16 teams.  Come out and cheer these curlers!

CLICK GREEN “TICKET” REGISTRATION LINK AND GET YOUR TEAM SIGNED UP TODAY.  DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29TH!

If you have any questions reach out to Peter Wilke via email (director@fdlfest.com) or phone (920.923.6555).

Two floor curling rinks will be set up at THELMA on the plaza. Saturday, 9 am:  First Match (Schedule will be sent out Wednesday prior to the tournament)

Presented by:

With Support from:

New this year at Sturgeon Spectacular is the High School Team Snow Sculpting Competition! High school students from the greater Fond du Lac area will form teams of 3 to 5 and will carve a snow sculpture into their choice of design. Teams who compete will be representing their school in the competition and the winning team will take home customized matching sweatshirts and a traveling trophy to keep at their school until the next competition. Find more detailed competition information and applications at the links below…  

Competition Information (CLICK HERE)

Team Application* – (CLICK HERE)

*Team Application deadline has been extended to Wednesday, January 29th, 2025

Presented by:

Food Sponsor:

Tools Sponsor:

Horse-drawn wagon will be offering free rides through downtown Fond du Lac.  The horses will take you past all the festivities and downtown happenings.   Each trip will be approximately 15 minutes.  Young children can ride on parent/guardian’s lap.

Pick-up/Drop-off Location – 33 Sheboygan Street (Downtown Event Hub)

Running from 10 am – 5 pm (First come, first served)

Horse Team 1: 10 am – 1 pm

Horse Team 2: 1 pm – 5 pm

Presented by:

With support from Breezy Hill Campground & Cooper Carriages of Mt. Calvary

Come Downtown in Fond du Lac and join us for some Spearing & Beering.  Party inside in the warmth or take it outside. Busch Light, the official beer sponsors of Sturgeon Spectacular will be joining us for some fun in the snow!  Sturgeon Spectacular Commemorative Steins will also be available – while supplies last.

The Biggest Sturgeon Contest will be hosted at this location this year with the Sturgeon Show-off Station.  We’ll be doing live sturgeon reports as well on Facebook.  Live feeds will be occurring throughout the day.  Special prizes given to anyone that brings their registered sturgeon to the celebration!

Presented by:

With support from:

Bring the whole family out to Sturgeon Spectacular.  Activities/attractions include carriage rides, Photo Ops,  Snow & Ice Castles, ice forts, ice bowling, broom ball, Hungry Hippos, street hockey, and other winter activities for the kids.  Horse-drawn carriage rides are free and first come, first served.  The carriage rides will do one loop around a downtown city block, taking in all the downtown festivities and decor. The kids will love it!  Pick up and drop off will be located at the Portland & Sheboygan Street intersection.

Activities located outside THELMA at the Portland/Sheboygan Intersection

Presented by:

Watch as inventor & time traveler Brock Barnabas visits the present time to recruit some adventurous kids to travel back to the Medieval times. They train to help deal with an overpopulation of dragons!  Kids are trained to both defend against and tame down dragons using Brock’s amazing science-based inventions and techniques.

Upon completion of the audience’s training, Brock Barnabas prepares to transport the kids to the past – but inadvertently draws a dragon right to your event!  Kids get to use their newly learned skills to deal with the dragon in the room!  All shows are set up with a post-show meet and greet with a baby dragon animatronic!  FUN!

Shows at 11am and 1pm

Shows in Fountain City inside THELMA

Paint your own sturgeon ornament THELMA during Sturgeon Spectacular’s 10th year! Choose a 30 minute time slot from 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM on Saturday, February 8th. Kids will love this fun and casual workshop painting their own ceramic ornaments during Sturgeon Spectacular! Ready-to-Paint ceramic ornaments will be provided (one per ticket).

Reserve your timeslot now for $15 by January 21st by clicking the green ticket button.

Presented By:

Join us for bingo and warm up inside THELMA on Saturday, February 8th from 2 pm – 5 pm! Come play to win prizes & Sturgeon Spectacular merchandise! One player will be drawn from the winning bingo cards every hour to win a LARGE PRIZE! Stick around to see if you could be one of our lucky winner! Stop by to play!

Presented by:

Explore Downtown Fond du Lac in 2025 through the Downtown Sturgeon Scavenger Hunt! Join the Hunt for your chance to win a $250 Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership Gift Certificate to spend at businesses in Downtown Fond du Lac or a pair of Oakley Sunglasses from Bird’s Eye Optical (prizes determined by the order the winners are drawn.)

To join, you can pick up a entry at Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts or any one of the participating locations. Participating locations will be marked by an official Sturgeon Scavenger Hunt Sign with instructions. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RETURNED TO THELMA AT THE INFO TABLE BY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9TH AT 3PM.

Rules:

Pick up an entry at THELMA or any one of the participating locations and navigate to each of the businesses listed to find the sturgeon and the corresponding letter hidden in their front windows. Match this letter with the number next to the business on the entry and write in the letter to decode a secret message. Once the secret message is decoded, you can turn in your entry at THELMA for your chance to win the prizes above!

Participating Locations:

• Fond du Lac Cyclery – 209 S Main St
• Jack’s Team Sports – 179 S Main St
• The Goldsmith – 177 S Main St
• Argentum et Aurum – 111 S Main St
• Craft City Bottleshop & Tap Room – 103 S Main St
• Gallery & Frame Shop – 94 S Main St
• Blue Line Tavern – 90 S Main St
• Lunar & Lake – 74 N Main St
• Knight & Barry – 69 S Main St
• Destination Lake Winnebago Region – 23 S Main St
• Bird’s Eye Optical – 19 S Main St
• Edith’s Bridal – 9 S Main St
• 18 Hands Ale Haus – 18 E Division St
• Wonder Play Café – 15 N Main St
• Cujak’s – 41 N Main St
• PS Beauty Lounge – 61 N Main St
• CC’s Chocolate Café – 57 N Main St
• Beauty Republic – 131 S Main St
• Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership – 131 S Main St
• Lillian’s – 27 S Main St

Prize Sponsors:

Horse-drawn wagon will be offering free rides through downtown Fond du Lac.  The horses will take you past all the festivities and downtown happenings.   Each trip will be approximately 15 minutes.  Young children can ride on parent/guardian’s lap.

Pick-up/Drop-off Location  – 33 Sheboygan Street (Downtown Event Hub)

Running from 10am – 2pm (First come, first served)

Presented by:

Horses and carriage provided by Cooper Carriages of Mt. Calvary

Many more family-fun activities are happening inside, outside, and around Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts until 3 pm Sunday, February 9th!

Presented By: